@proceedings {KNZ00302,
	title = {Effects of fire exclusion on tallgrass prairie and gallery forest communities in eastern Kansas},
	year = {1991},
	pages = {3 -10},
	publisher = {Southeastern Forest Experiment Station},
	abstract = {<p>The purpose of this review is to synthesize a long-term body of research dealing with fire exclusion effects on tallgrass prairie and gallery forest communities on Konza Prairie in eastern Kansas. Upland and lowland prairie communities burned in spring at intervals ranging from 1-11 years were consistently dominated (79-90 percent cover) by Andropogon gerardii. With this increasing interval between fires other dominant warm-season grasses, A. scoparius and Sorghastrum nutans, had decreased cover, whereas forbs and woody species had increased cover. Aboveground biomass was higher on an annual burned versus unburned lowland prairie, due to stimulated graminoid production. Sites unburned for 10 or more years were converting to woodlands dominated by Juniperus, Ulmus, Gleditsia and Celtis. Older gallery forests occurred in stream channels and ravines and were comprised of overstory Quercus and Celtis and understory Celtis, Cercis and Ulmus. The extent of gallery forests on Konza Prairie dramatically increased from the time of European settlement (1850) to present; this has been attributed to decreased fire frequency and intensity in the region. With continued fire exclusion this century further succession in these forests has caused oak replacement by more shade tolerant species</p>},
	keywords = {LTER-KNZ, tallgrass prairie},
	author = {Abrams, M.D. and D.J. Gibson},
	editor = {Nodvin, S.C. and Waldrop, T.A.}
}
